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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25134415">A Long Way Still To Go</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/vvxw/pseuds/vvxw'>vvxw</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aangst, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, I don't know how to write about bending, If a oneshot could be slow burn, Jealousy, Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining, Romance, everyone is stupid, jealous!Aang</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 10:47:19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,516</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25134415</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/vvxw/pseuds/vvxw</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Aang/Katara oneshot. The GAang is on the run/hiding from Fire Nation and can't stand the Aang/Katara pining anymore.</p><p>Canon divergent in that Zuko was with them from the start or joined much earlier than in reality, I leave it pretty ambiguous. Featuring mutual pining, jealous!Aang and a silly misunderstanding that could easily be resolved by communicating.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aang/Katara (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>56</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Long Way Still To Go</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Katara sighed as she lifted another fish in a small water sphere to where Zuko was sitting on the riverbank, waiting ready with a flame to cook dinner for the others. Zuko usually always enjoyed this time they had together, when they could focus on their respective crafts while providing for the rest of the group. When they first began this ritual, combining water and fire to feed themselves, they hardly ever spoke. Over time, though, the shared connection of breaking bread forged a friendship between them, and they became familiar with each other’s habits and reflexes as they grew.</p><p>That’s why Zuko did not miss her stiff body language as she stacked fish in a sloppy pile by his fire. She was annoyed, likely at the way Aang had handled attention from an admirer in the village they had visited earlier. It was ridiculous—Aang’s feelings for Katara were so painfully obvious as to make Zuko feel physically sick at times, and there was no missing how Katara blushed anytime Aang so much as glanced her way. Ordinarily, Zuko would be on a strict Do Not Interfere protocol, as forcing them to acknowledge their mutual attraction could lead to even more uncomfortable public displays or declarations, but Katara was not exactly easy to handle when she was angry or upset. And it seemed like the situation was not going to resolve on its own as Aang’s hearty laugh reached them from their camp and she slammed another fish at Zuko’s feet.</p><p>Zuko took a silent breath and then pinched the bridge of his nose. This conversation would break every rule he had made for himself when he joined their gang.</p><p>“Katara—”</p><p>“What.” She slammed the last fish down onto the small pile, then sat on the bank, facing the river.</p><p>“About that girl in the village,” Zuko began. Katara tensed, her arms wrapped around her knees. “You have to know that’s nothing. Aang is crazy about you.”</p><p>He couldn’t see her face, but he could almost hear her roll her eyes as she let loose a humorless laugh.</p><p>“You don’t have to try to cheer me up. I’m fine,” she said, and her voice was strained.</p><p>“I’m not trying to cheer you up. I’m telling you an objective fact,” Zuko said, spearing each fish in turn and setting them over the flames.</p><p>“And how would you know? Did he tell you this?” Katara spun in the sand to face him, skeptical.</p><p>“Well, no. But I can see it.” Katara laughed again, and it still sounded hollow and humorless.</p><p>“No offense, Zuko, but you aren’t exactly and authority on romantic feelings.”</p><p>This was true. Katara knew all about his relationship with Mai, how neither of them could let their guard down enough to move forward together.</p><p>“No, I’m not,” he said after a moment. “But I do have eyes and I’m not oblivious.” Katara watched him over the fire, unsure how to respond.</p><p>“Whatever,” she said, softly. “It doesn’t matter.”</p><p>“You should just tell him how you feel.”</p><p>“I could never do that,” she said, turning back to the river. The fight left her voice.</p><p>“Why not? It’s so obvious—”</p><p>“Because he’s the avatar! I’m his waterbending teacher. If I tell him how I feel, he might—well,” she struggled to articulate what her fears were.</p><p>“It’s worth the risk,” he said softly. She looked at him again. “Why don’t you go talk to him and let him decide what he wants to do. I’ve got dinner covered.”</p><p>Katara sat by the river for a few more minutes, weighing Zuko’s words. He had no reason to lie to her, no reason to tell her he had noticed something where there was nothing. Maybe he was right, and this connection she had with Aang was bigger than just their beautiful friendship.</p><p>She stood and walked over to where Zuko was slowly turning the fish over the fire. He looked up at her, confused. Then she hugged him. After a moment she felt his hands wrap around her back, returning the hug.</p><p>“I’m lucky to have you as my friend, Zuko.” He did not know what to say, so he just nodded at her. Then she turned and walked up the bank back to their camp.</p><p> </p><p>--</p><p> </p><p>Aang was never not on-edge, it seemed. Every time it was Katara and Zuko’s turn to make dinner for the group, they seemed to get closer…more intimate. It was unnerving.</p><p>Zuko was a handsome guy, and older. And even though he was emotionally closed off, it seemed Katara had managed to open him up. Which was not surprising, because she was Katara. If anyone could repair some of the trauma Zuko had lived through, it was her.</p><p>But emotional vulnerability like that leads to intimacy, and the thought of the two of them sharing a connection made Aang’s stomach turn. He wanted to be the one for Katara.</p><p>He wasn’t sure if it was possible. As the avatar, he had a responsibility to the world, anytime it was in trouble—and it seemed to be in trouble a lot. Would it be fair for Aang to put Katara through that? To have her always playing second fiddle to the safety and security of the world? Is that something she would even be interested in? He couldn’t think of anyone who would choose that life for themselves.</p><p>But he wasn’t sure if he could handle seeing Katara and Zuko together. He loved both of them, would die for either of them, but seeing them together could actually destroy him. He knew it was s selfish. He knew he had to get past it. But he had been trying to get over Katara for years now and it still hadn’t happened.</p><p>Aang looked downriver to where Katara and Zuko were. He watched Katara move over to where Zuko was sat and wrap herself around him. Aang turned away. If they were going to be together, he would have to harden his heart to Katara. It was the only way he would be able to preserve himself and stay on his path.</p><p> </p><p>--</p><p> </p><p>He sat for a while with Appa until he heard footsteps near him. It was Katara. Aang’s heart dropped into his feet.</p><p>“Hi,” she said, smiling at him. It wasn’t her usual bright greeting, but softer, just for him. “Can we go for a walk? I wanted to talk to you about something.”</p><p>So this was it, Aang thought bitterly. She was going to tell him about her feelings and he would have to pretend to be happy for her and Zuko.</p><p>“I don’t really feel like walking,” he said, stretching out in Appa’s fur. “Why don’t you just tell me what it is.” If it came out like he was snubbing her, it’s because he was, and this was not lost on Katara.</p><p>“Oh, uh. Okay,” she said, softer than before. She sat down in front of him, her legs crossed and back straight. “Aang, I was wondering if—”</p><p>“You know what, Katara?” Aang cut across her suddenly, sitting up.</p><p>“Uh, what?”</p><p>“I just realized it doesn’t matter,” Aang said, staring at a spot just above Katara’s head.</p><p>“Wh-what doesn’t matter?”</p><p>“I know what you’re about to say, and I don’t really want to hear it.”</p><p>“What?” Katara asked, though it came out more like a gasp.</p><p>“I think you should just do whatever you want, okay? It doesn’t matter to me.” Aang noted sourly that his voice sounded tense and high-pitched, like it was going to break any moment.</p><p>“What are you talking about?” Katara stood, trying to meet Aang’s eyes. He closed them and fell back onto Appa again.</p><p>“I’m talking about you, Katara,” Aang said, this time looking her in the eye. “I don’t think any of this is working out. You should just go.”</p><p>“Just—?!” Katara’s eyes were wild. “Just go?!” Aang could see the tears threatening to fall there. His steel heart felt dead and broken. “FINE!” Katara turned on her heel and walked straight into the forest.</p><p>Aang sat for a moment, trembling. Then he walked to the shore and splashed water onto his face. He thought he might retch. She didn’t know it, but he had freed her. She could be with Zuko without worrying that Aang would do something stupid. She could be happy with someone who would be able to put her first.</p><p>He kept splashing water on his face, unaware that there was someone standing behind him.</p><p>“Twinkle toes, what did you do,” Toph said.</p><p>“I don’t know what you mean,” Aang replied, knowing full well she could tell he was lying.</p><p>“I just heard Katara storm off into the woods, and she was crying. I heard her yelling at you,” she said. She was keeping her voice low, and it was a little scary.</p><p>“Look, you don’t understand,” he said, wiping some of the water off his face with his tunic. “I can’t see her with someone else. She needed to get away from me, and the only way to do that—”</p><p>“You drove her away? On purpose?!” Toph yelled. Aang flinched. “You realize she’s supposed to be teaching you, right?”</p><p>“I can find another teacher—” Aang started.</p><p>“Like hell you can! Where are we going to find another waterbending teacher? And all for what? Because you’re jealous of nobody?”</p><p>“I’m not—it’s not like that,” he said.</p><p>“No, it’s not like that,” came a gravelly voice behind Aang. His stomach dropped like a stone. It was Zuko. Toph folded her arms. “He’s jealous of himself,” Zuko finished.</p><p>“That’s not—no,” Aang fumbled for the right thing to say. How could he declare his feelings for Katara in front of her boyfriend, his friend?</p><p>“Aang, you idiot,” Toph said, sadly. “You’ve really stepped in it this time.”</p><p> </p><p>--</p><p> </p><p>Four of the five sat around the fire after dark, arguing.</p><p>“I can’t believe you told my sister—” Sokka yelled.</p><p>“You really are the biggest dunderhead I’ve ever met,” Toph yelled.</p><p>“I’m telling you, you’re making a huge mistake,” Zuko yelled.</p><p>Aang stared into the flames, absorbing their words. If they were to be believed (and they had never steered him wrong), Katara liked him.</p><p>Katara liked him.</p><p>Katara liked him, and he had told her he didn’t care. He told her he knew what she was going to say and he didn’t want her to say it. Because it didn’t matter and he didn’t care.</p><p>And none of that was true! Not a single word.</p><p>And night had fallen, with still no sign of Katara. She had stormed off into the woods and not come back, and Aang knew he was not the only one whose nerves rattled more every minute she was missing.</p><p>Missing because of what he said.</p><p>“We have to find her,” he said quietly. The yelling stopped. Aang repeated himself, louder this time. “Katara has been missing for hours. She could be…in…” he trailed off, not able to accept that she could be hurt—or worse—because of him.</p><p> </p><p>--</p><p> </p><p>Katara knew she was being louder than she should be, stumbling through the brush. But she couldn’t be bothered. She had tried to tell Aang how she felt and not only did he already know, but he didn’t want her to explain it.</p><p>This was all Zuko’s fault. He was the one who had encouraged her to confess to Aang, he was the one who told her she is way too obvious and made it seem like he liked her back.</p><p>Dark thoughts clouded Katara’s mind as the sun dipped below the brush line. She tried her best not to entertain them, not to give in, but before long she was huddled on the forest floor, clutching herself as she sobbed. Of course he doesn’t like you, the dark part of her mind told her. He’s the avatar, why would he care about a provincial little waterbender like you?</p><p>They see you as their surrogate mother and nothing else, hissed the dark shadow of her mind. They’re tired of you telling them what to do all the time. They’re better off if you never come back.</p><p>No. That wasn’t true. Katara knew in her bones that she had power to rival full-grown firebenders. She had protected her friends when they needed her most. That dark shadow of her mind was wrong.</p><p>Aang told you to go away, the shadow said. Katara shivered. It was full dark now. Even if the gang didn’t want her, she could try to track them and fend off any threats. Even if they didn’t love her, she would protect them.</p><p>She stood and tried to get her bearings. She had only an idea of the direction she had come in, so she turned that way and guessed it was the way back.</p><p>It was a particular challenge, moving as quickly as she could while trying to make no noise at all, though Katara welcomed the distraction from Aang’s words ringing like bells in her head.</p><p>She picked up the pace, subconsciously making more noise as she saw the trees thinning up ahead. She could smell a fire, the camp could not be too far ahead. She was running then, could not wait to see Sokka and Toph, to punch Zuko for being so wrong, and to apologize to Aang for putting him in the position of having to choose between his future and his friend. She could not wait to see—</p><p>Katara pushed through the tree line into the clearing, but it was not the river bank her friends were camped on. And the fire she had spotted had not been lit by Zuko.</p><p>It was the Fire Nation.</p><p> </p><p>--</p><p> </p><p>They had been walking for what seemed like hours, though Zuko insisted it was only 20 minutes. Toph claimed she could not feel Katara anywhere nearby. Sokka was still verbally ripping Aang a new one when he decided a bird’s eye view would be the best way to find her.  Aang opened his glider, nodded to Zuko, then took off.</p><p>Usually, flying was when Aang felt most at peace, but as he glided over the forest, seeing nothing but dark trees, he felt sick to his stomach. If something happened to her, he didn’t think he would be able to live with himself.</p><p>He had thought that by telling her to go she would run off to be comforted by Zuko, and Zuko would be so angry on her behalf that they would just leave him, and they could be happy together and he and Toph and maybe Sokka would continue on their journey.</p><p>But once again, Aang had failed to read Katara. Once again he had failed to put his trust in her, and this time he could have really hurt her. She didn’t deserve to be with someone who pushed her away like that. She deserved someone who would listen to her, who would trust her to know and say and do the right thing.</p><p>As the moonlight washed over the trees, Aang spotted a small fire. He prayed that Katara was there, unhurt. As he descended, he swore to himself that he would become worthy of her.</p><p> </p><p>--</p><p> </p><p>“Well well well, what’s this? A Water Tribe maiden just so happens to stumble into our camp,” A deep voice said. A few other voices chuckled. Katara couldn’t make out clear faces over the fire, but she estimated that there were three of them. She reached for her canteen, cursing her luck at being inland.</p><p>“What are you doing by yourself, so far from home?”</p><p>“I-I thought this was a different camp,” she said. “I’m traveling with a large group and stepped away for a walk.” She didn’t want to give away her friends.</p><p>The men laughed again.</p><p>“A large group? Of Water Tribe folks? Now there’s a tale if I ever heard one.” More laughter.</p><p>Katara backed into the clearing again, wondering how far she could make it before they caught her.</p><p>“Leaving so soon? I don’t think so,” came a gravelly voice behind her. She turned to find another Fire Nation soldier. Katara screamed, but before she could defend herself, arms from all sides pinned her hands and feet together to keep her from escaping.</p><p>“You’re lucky we’re just sitting down for some dinner,” the leader said as they gagged her and set her down next to one of their tents. “We won’t have any use for you until later.”</p><p>“I hope she’s feisty,” said one of the other men. Katara struggled against her bindings.  This was not happening. It could not happen.</p><p>She gazed around. Maybe she could roll away and cut her bindings on a rock. Unfortunately it looked like they would be able to catch her again pretty quickly. Why had she run off? Her friends didn’t know where she had gone, she had told no one to expect her back. There was no way they would even know to look for her.</p><p>After a while they were finished with dinner, and they turned to eye Katara with interest. Her stomach dropped like lead as she realized her chances of escaping completely unharmed were exceptionally thin.</p><p>One of the men began to approach her. Her heart was hammering in her chest like a small bird trying to escape a cage. She shut her eyes and felt the earth around her lift into the air.</p><p>Wait, what?</p><p>When she opened her eyes she could see the four men below her, watching her with complete confusion spelled out on their faces.</p><p>Then she heard an unmistakable roar.</p><p>Appa flew past her and Sokka dismounted, primed for attack. Zuko and Toph ran out from the tree line and began their assault on the men. Her friends had come for her. They knew something bad had happened. Everyone except—</p><p>Aang. He landed in front of her on her bit of floating earth and removed the gag from her mouth.</p><p>“Before you say anything,” he said, cradling her face in his hands, “are you hurt? Did they do anything to you?”</p><p>“I’m okay,” she breathed out, and found she was fighting tears again. “I’m okay.”</p><p>“Katara, I’m so sorry,” Aang said as he untied her hands and feet. “I was being a jealous ass.”</p><p>Katara rubbed her sore wrists before processing what he had said. She looked up at him.</p><p>“Jealous…?”</p><p>Aang lowered their floating rock to the ground. Their friends had made quick work of the Fire Nation soldiers, and they piled onto Appa to head back to camp. Aang grabbed Katara’s arm to hold her back.</p><p>“Uh, guys? If it’s all the same to you, I think Katara and I will walk back.” Sokka smacked his forehead, Zuko shook his head and Toph yelled, “Who cares!” as they lifted into the air.</p><p>Aang and Katara walked in silence for the first few minutes. Then Katara spoke.</p><p>“So, what did you mean before when you said you were jealous?” Aang sighed and rubbed the back of his head.</p><p>“I thought that you and Zuko liked each other. I saw you hugging by the river and I thought…I thought…”</p><p>“You thought we were getting together,” Katara finished. “So when I said I wanted to tell you something, you thought—”</p><p>“I thought you were telling me about your new relationship.” They were silent as Katara digested this information. “I’m sorry, Katara. I know I’m supposed to be this world leader as the avatar, but thinking about you with Zuko, it. It made me crazy,” Aang said. Katara watched him thoughtfully.</p><p>“Do you know what I was going to tell you?” She said after a moment.</p><p>“Well, Zuko told me…”</p><p>“What did he tell you?” Katara asked, eyes still trained on his face.</p><p>“Zuko told me you were going to tell me how you felt about me.” Aang could feel his cheeks burning.</p><p>“Aang, I really like you,” she said finally.</p><p>“Katara, I’m crazy about you,” Aang said at the same time. They both laughed. It felt good.</p><p>“I know that things are messy, but I want to be with you,” Katara said.</p><p>Aang looked deep into her blue eyes. He had a whole speech prepared about how she deserved so much better than the avatar, how he would never be able to give her the life she should have, how he would never harden his heart to her again over a suitor.</p><p>But looking into her eyes, he saw her determination and her fortitude. He saw a woman who had chosen him to love, and who would fight for what she wanted. If she thought he was worthy, then he must be.</p><p>He kissed her. </p><p>Katara leaned forward on her toes before wrapping her arms around Aang's neck to deepen the kiss. She felt her cheeks heat at the contact—this was different than kissing Jet, even different from kissing Aang in the lover's tunnel. As Aang wrapped his arms around her waist, they both knew this was where they were meant to be.</p>
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